


Thundering Hearts

by Tye22



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: A couple of things are very different, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Things Are Coming, Dorian is confused/oblivious, Eventual Smut, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Imprisonment, Jealousy, Love Triangles, M/M, Royal Advisor AU, Secret Relationship, Trev's a bit of a douche, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-07-14 15:37:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7177640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tye22/pseuds/Tye22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>War threatens from the northern Imperium. Unified under the banner of the Inquisition the southern lands prepare to defend what is theirs. Amid the mounting chaos Dorian Pavus, Arcane Advisor to the Inquisition, finds himself caught between two very powerful men. The moustache is probably to blame.</p><p>A bit of an experiment. More details in the notes section.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arcane Advisor Pavus

**Author's Note:**

> So I realised that a fic that I posted on fictionpress ages ago featured two main characters that are basically Dorian and Cullen. Now I posted it a bit before Inquisition even came out but it would seem that I defs have a preference for pairing dark, silver-eyed mages with rugged, blonde military types. 
> 
> The result of this revelation is basically a 'port' of that story into the Thedas universe. This does alter a lot of the canon plot/world structure so please don't freak out when something doesn't exactly flow the way it should. I hope a lot of it is self explanatory but if it's a bit wtf please let me know, I'll be happy to explain or expand on certain points in future chapters. Also, I've no Beta so apologies for any mistakes.

The Inquisitor was staring at him again. Dorian could feel those cold eyes following him as he made his way around the room, greeting the various dignitaries that had gathered in the great hall of the Keep. He listened to the whispering, reassuring those few who were afraid and ignoring those who were merely a source of gossip. The Inquisitor had called the gathering of people in order to discuss the impending attack from Tevinter, Dorian's homeland, and then proceed to a discussion of the plans for a defense with his council.

The Southern Kingdoms had recently been forced into a unification of sorts, under the banner of the Lord Inquisitor. This was brought upon by the rather sudden hostility from the Tevinter Imperium in the north. Apparently a local cult had risen up and overthrown the ruling body of Tevinter from within. Instead of plunging the nation into chaos, Corypheus, the fearsome leader of the Venatori cult spurred the population on with propaganda and manipulation, reminding them of the former glory of the Tevinter Imperium that once dominated the entire known world. His machinations soon shattered the fragile peace between the northern Imperium and the free lands to the south. Without warning, southern dignitaries visiting Tevinter were captured and put to death, their heads sent back to their homelands of Ferelden and Orlais as a declaration of war. Dorian had been there when the gruesome delivery had been made. He could still see the rotted faces of the ambassadors and their families staring at him when he closed his eyes.

This had been nearly a year ago. Now the lands of Orlais and Ferelden stood together, the other free nations having already fallen to the power of Corypheus and the Imperium.

Dorian’s face must have gone pale as he recalled the horrific sight of so many slaughtered innocents because the Orlesian Duke he had been speaking to called for one of the nearby attendants who promptly came running with a small chair under one arm, his other hand bearing a glass of refreshment. Dorian smiled in gratitude but turned him away. He thanked the Duke for his concern before turning to make his way to the central dais to take his place next to the Inquisitor. The Duke reached out and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, turning him back around.

"You should know that despite your heritage there are many of us who do not see you in the same light as those traitorous bastards, Advisor Pavus. You have always served these lands without fail. You have more than earned our trust.” 

Dorian gave the Duke a small smile and a nod of appreciation, hooking some of his long dark hair behind an ear. He was relieved that at least some of those gathered did not think him involved in this mess. He hadn’t been directly involved with the Imperium since he had been a child. He practically considered himself a southerner but despite that some prejudices just ran too deep. 

"Advisor Pavus, are you sure you are all right?" The Duke asked in concern. Dorian gave him another small smile and a nod.

"Thank you for asking Duke Bastien, but I am fine. I will see you again later, we still have much to discuss but I fear the Inquisitor grows restless and will be eager to have my ear."

Bastien frowned slightly, clearly not believing a word but before he could protest further, Dorian had faded into the crowd. The young advisor sighed as he politely pushed through the throng to reach the throne that dominated the far end of the large chamber. He looked up to see Inquisitor Trevelyan watching him approach. The ruler was only about a decade older than Dorian who was himself in his late twenties but whenever he gazed at him with those cold eyes Dorian felt like little more than a child. It was true that he was one of the youngest advisors ever appointed but his sharp mind and various 'talents' more than made up for it.

Taking the steps that led up the dais to where the throne stood two at a time, Dorian was standing at the right hand of the Inquisitor in no time. The smaller but no less opulent throne usually reserved for Lady Trevelyan stood empty to the left. She would have been dead about 10 months now, a casualty of the fall of the Free Marches. Dorian hadn’t known her that well; the woman had been a very private person. Despite this she had been rather popular with the nobility and even the common folk had mourned her passing. The tragedy of her death did not seem to have really affected the Inquisitor however. At least Dorian thought so. 

The Inquisitor did not speak, simply watching as Dorian stepped up next to him and turned to face the gathered crowd, his long dark robes of black, gold and dark teal swishing slightly with the motion. Trevelyan gazed at his Arcane Advisor for a moment before turning back to the crowd.

"I could sense no malignant presence among the people, my Lord. No traces of hostile spellwork." Dorian reported.

"Good." The Inquisitor said simply.

"In truth, my Lord, that does not say much. Anyone with enough coin, and the people gathered here certainly have no shortage, could acquire charms or spells that shield them from my sight. I will need more time as well as further magical investigation to be completely certain. Perhaps Lady Vivienne could be of assistance?"

The Inquisitor nodded, still brooding.

"What was that earlier?" Trevelyan asked finally, his deep voice low so that only Dorian could hear.

"What was what, my Lord?"

"Just now, with the Duke."

"Oh. We were discussing the implications of the attack in terms of the impending harvest. He was worried that-" Dorian began but the Inquisitor interrupted.

"He touched you, tenderly." Trevelyan said, a hint of something decidedly icy in his tone.

Dorian hesitated a moment before speaking. He hated that the Inquisitor did this. Dorian had no idea were this hostility came from. He had basically grown up in the Free Marches alongside the Inquisitor, his parents having been ambassadors from Tevinter back then before they eventually returned to join the ranks Magisterium, leaving Dorian behind. The two boys had been fast friends in those days. When Trevelyan's father passed away and he took the house seat they had become distant. Dorian had told himself it was because Maxwell now had more important things to focus on and so he turned his focus to his magical studies. Years had passed and they had maintained a remnant of their past friendship but as they grew Dorian sensed that something had changed. Since Trevelyan had suggested him to begin training for the position of Arcane Advisor in the year that Dorian was 20, he kept the younger man close. At first Dorian had thought that it was normal, the relationship between Ruler and Advisor being a close one after all and he had honestly been quite excited to see more of his old friend. Now he just felt smothered.

"Bastien was simply concerned. I recalled some of the more gruesome events of the past year and grew a bit pale I suppose." Dorian explained, turning his eyes away from the crowd to stare at the floor. “The Duke noticed this and asked after my health. That is all.”

The Inquisitor remained silent. The waves of jealousy and possessiveness that rolled off him were practically overwhelming.

"Honestly, my Lord. He is a man old enough to be my grandfather and besides, everyone knows he has eyes only for the Lady Vivienne. I would have sensed it if there was any other intent in his actions." Dorian said in a clipped tone.

Trevelyan turned his head slightly towards him, his dark brows drawing together with a frown. Just as he opened his mouth to speak the large gilded doors on the other side of the room swung open and a solitary figure strode in. Both Trevelyan and Dorian turned away from each other to see who it was. As the figure drew closer Trevelyan's face darkened just a tad more while Dorian's seemed to brighten. It was the Commander.

The crowd parted as the armored man approached, his long, fur-lined cape flowing out behind him. Some people smiled in relief at seeing him there, some spoke out in greeting as he moved past them but he responded only with a curt nod here and there, his expression grim. As he reached the foot of the steps he stopped and bowed deeply.

"My Lord, I must speak with you urgently." He said in a deep, clear voice.

There was a cough from somewhere in the crowd. The sound seemed to echo through the silent hall. The Commander straightened, glancing at the gathered crowd that seemed to be waiting eagerly for him to speak.

"Privately." He added after a moment, his eyes returning to the Inquisitor.

Trevelyan gazed at him for a brief moment before signaling that it was time for the gathering to end. Strangely Lady Josephine, the Diplomatic Advisor, was nowhere to be found. Not wanting the guards to cause a scene, Dorian quickly stepped forward to address the people in Josephine’s stead, signaling for the guards to wait.

"Thank you all for gathering at such short notice. Rest assured that the Inquisitor, along with his advisors and military leaders will take everything that has been said and suggested tonight into account when they convene again later. Go now and be with your loved ones. Missives bearing detailed information on decisions made will be sent out in the morning. Good night." He said, his voice magically amplified to reach to the far end of the hall

There was a murmur that swept through the crowd; no one made any move to leave. Dorian glanced at the Inquisitor a moment before taking a deep breath and motioning for one of the many guards posted around the room.

"Please ensure that everyone is escorted safely out of the hall, no rough treatment please. The Inquisitor still has much to do before the night is over and there is no time to deal with offended noblemen." He said as the man reached him.

The guard bowed his head before jumping into action. Soon the rest of the guardsmen had formed a line that was gently urging the people from the hall. Dorian sighed and turned back to the Inquisitor and the Commander.

"What news do you bring, Commander Cullen?" the Inquisitor asked as the last guests exited and the large doors swung closed with a resounding thud.

"I apologize, my Lord, but I must speak with you alone." Cullen replied, making the Inquisitor raise an eyebrow.

"But we are alone." The Inquisitor said, a slight tone of annoyance in his voice.

The Commander sighed before his eyes strayed to Dorian. Trevelyan followed his gaze and frowned.

"I'm afraid no one but you may hear what I have to say. I mean no offence to the Arcane Advisor but the risk is too great." The Commander said, his eyes still on Dorian.

"What nonsense is-" the Inquisitor began but Dorian stepped forward to interrupt.

"I understand the discreet nature of your news, Commander. I will take my leave. Advisor Montilyet seems to have wandered off and we have some rather important things to discuss before the council meeting." He said before turning to the Inquisitor and bowing low, his hair falling over his shoulders and shielding his face from the Commander.

"Send for me when you are done, my Lord." He said and turned to move down the steps without waiting for the Inquisitor to protest.

As he moved down the steps, the Commander moved up. They met in the middle, Cullen bowing slightly, his one arm across his waist while the other stretched out towards the door, holding the long cape he had fixed to his armor out of the way. Dorian bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment and stepped past him. As he did, their eyes met for a brief moment and in a movement that would be imperceptible to anyone that may have been behind Dorian, in this case the Inquisitor, the Commander handed something to him. Dorian took the object without any reaction and walked on in a flurry of robes, holding it close to his chest. The large doors swung open as he approached and as he passed through he turned slightly to see both the Commander and the Inquisitor watching him leave. The heavy doors swung shut but Dorian did not continue down the passage. He looked down at the object in his hand. It was a single red rose. He smiled to himself at the private message.

"Rose garden it is then." He said quietly to himself before walking on in search of the wayward Josephine.

****

After sitting in discussion with the other court advisors and officials for hours while the Inquisitor met with his military leaders and the envoys of both King Alistair and Empress Celene, Dorian was glad to finally get away. Despite his usual distaste of the southern chill, the early morning air was refreshing against his skin. He paced around the circular fountain that formed the centerpiece of one of the many private gardens on the grounds of the Keep. What made this garden different from any other was that it was the only one that had lush red rose bushes, magically altered to survive the chill and strategically planted to create a range of sweeping patterns. It reminded him of his favorite place to relax when he had been younger, sometimes even a quite place to study when he grew sick of his rooms. As he had gotten older however, private rose gardens had acquired a different use altogether.

He smiled as he recalled the first time he had met Cullen. He had been about 15 years old, right in the middle of puberty, his arms and legs awkwardly proportioned to the rest of his lean body and his voice sounding like someone was mutilating a cat at the best of times. He was making his way through the various gardens of the Trevelyan Estates, needing to take a break from his scrolls when he was nearly run over by someone a lot bigger than himself.

The young man apologized profusely as he straightened his clothing.

"I'm sorry, miss. I did not see you as I came around the bend and I-" He said in a rush, stopping when he saw the young person he had hit was scowling up at him.

"I am not a 'miss'." Dorian said tensely, brushing some of his dark hair out of his eyes.

"Oh." The young man said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I must apologize again. It's just that you're so pretty I just assumed-"

"Pretty?"

The young man went red in the face, almost matching the colour of the roses that surrounded them. Dorian raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yes… You are quite pretty. Beautiful even." The man stammered.

It was Dorian's turn to go red.

"I-" he began but lost his train of thought as he looked into the deep brown eyes of the man standing in front of him, "Thank you, I guess." He said finally.

The young man smiled while extending a hand towards him.

"Cullen." He said in introduction.

"Dorian." The teen said and grasped the offered hand after a moment’s hesitation.

"And a pretty name to match the face." The blonde said with a grin, one that only grew as the blush on Dorian's cheeks deepened.

"I suppose I should check a looking glass more often." Dorian said, making Cullen chuckle.

After a few moments of oddly comfortable silence they both realized that their hands were still touching. Dorian drew his away swiftly and cleared his throat. Cullen seemed to shake himself out of a daze at the sound.

"I should get going. The Commander will not be pleased with me if I delay any longer." He said with a small smile.

"You're in the army then? You're certainly not in uniform." Dorian said gesturing at the tan trousers and loose white tunic the man wore. The trousers seemed to be a size too small because they stretched tightly across the powerful leg muscles that lay beneath. Dorian blushed again when he realized that he was staring.

"The Templar Order, actually. I'm getting my new uniform this afternoon, ruined the other one." Cullen said with a nod and a sheepish grin at the last bit.

"Well, get going then. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble on my behalf." Dorian said, stepping to the side so that he could pass.

Cullen started to walk away but stopped and turned back.

"See you around?" he asked.

"Perhaps. I'd rather like to hear what happened with your old uniform." Dorian said with a smile before turning to continue on his walk.

After a few paces he turned back to see Cullen turn back as well. He laughed and shook his head before disappearing around the corner.

"What's with that grin?" a familiar voice asked, snapping Dorian out of his recollections.

He turned to see a painfully handsome man leaning against the sole archway that lead into the garden. Folding his arms he slowly stepped towards the man, a grin on his face.

"I was just thinking about the day we met. Do you remember? I was about 15 and you were…"

"A few months past my 19th birthday. I'll never forget. I felt so embarrassed, speaking to you."

"Why? You didn’t seem very embarrassed." Dorian asked with a chuckle and a raised eyebrow.

"A noble beauty like you, taking the time to speak to a lowly soldier like me."

Dorian smiled, shaking his head.

"I looked terrible back then. Not so sure I look much better now." He stated, self consciously hooking some of his hair behind an ear.

"Trust me, you have only become more beautiful with time." Cullen said, running a hand back through his shaggy blonde hair as he often did.

"And you have become a lot more rugged it would seem." Dorian said, reaching out to brush his hand over the thick stubble on Cullen's jaw. His facial hair was darker than the blonde mop on top of his head. Dorian thought it looked good with the tones of his pale skin and the golden brown of his eyes.

"Haven't really had time to shave you know. Haven't had much time for anything really." Cullen said a little defensively.

Dorian smiled, leaning closer.

"I never said I didn't like it." He breathed, their noses almost touching.

Cullen raised an eyebrow.

"I'll put in less effort when it comes to grooming then." He said with a smile before drawing Dorian closer, one hand at his waist, the other threading through the long, dark hair that hung partway down the younger mans back.

Their lips touched, tentatively at first before deepening into a passionate kiss that soon had both gasping for breath.

"I have missed you so much." Cullen whispered as they drew apart.

Dorian kissed him again, a chaste kiss on the scar that bisected Cullen’s upper lip, before wrapping his arms around the Commander and resting his head against the man’s chest. Cullen rested his chin on the shorter mans head, closing his eyes and just drinking in the sweetness of the moment. After a while they broke apart, Dorian taking Cullen's hand in his and moving towards the fountain. As they sat down on the edge Dorian noticed that Cullen was staring at their clasped hands.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

Cullen smiled, looking up to meet Dorian’s gaze.

"I was just thinking how right your hand looks in mine. How beautiful the darker tone of your skin is against mine."

Dorian grinned.

"Such a romantic."

"Only for you." Cullen whispered.

"Well I can't imagine your comrades in arms appreciating that kind of behavior too much."

Cullen laughed before leaning in to kiss him again. When they broke apart Dorian's expression grew serious.

"What did you have to say to the Inquisitor earlier?"

Cullen sighed and looked away. Dorian stared at him expectantly.

"The Tevinter army has broken through the blockade set up near our northern borders. They will be here much sooner than we expected." He said quietly.

"And you couldn't say this in front of me?"

"We suspect there to be foul play. Someone must have fed them information. The way they broke through the blockade… It was too easy, too precise."

"Again, why could you not have said this in front of me?" Dorian asked after a moment.

"There are some among the military leaders who believe you to be a possible mole for the Tevinters. I don't believe it for even a second but there are enough of those that suspect this in the higher levels of command to warrant a certain level of caution. Again," he began when Dorian seemed to want to protest, "I, along with just as many others, don't think you would ever be involved in something like that. I however have to consent to the wishes of my colleagues to keep you 'out of the loop', in public at least. You know I'll probably just tell you everything later anyway."

Dorian frowned.

"Why would they think that? What reason have I given them to doubt me?" he asked.

"I don't know. I suspect that some just look at you and all they see is a Vint. Then there is the part about your abilities."

Dorian sighed.

"I'm not the only person of Tevinter heritage at court, let alone the only mage."

"I know, I told them that but they reasoned that you hold the most sway and have near complete knowledge of internal dealings, being the Arcane Advisor, while the few other Tevinters only fill minor roles." Cullen said.

"I haven’t felt so judged like this in years. Many people fear magic; that is a fact. I can understand their suspicions on those grounds but I've been in the south for most of my life. I may have been born in Tevinter but I've been In the Free Marches since my sixth birthday. I sometimes feel like the people of these lands are more my people than the Tevinters." Dorian whispered, folding his arms and turning slightly away from Cullen. "Maybe my features are too distinctly Tevinter. My sense of style is way too advanced as well, I suppose.” He said with a small smile.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way you look." Cullen said, reaching out and tracing the features of Dorian's face with calloused fingers, moving over his high cheekbones, across his dark eyebrows that shadowed those stormy grey eyes, down his nose and over his soft lips that were a shade or two darker than the rest of his skin, brushing over the light dusting of stubble on his jawline and the curled moustache that would have looked over the top on any other face before reaching around to pull the younger mans face closer for another kiss.

"If I could survive on only your kisses I would be a very contented man." Cullen breathed when they broke apart again.

"Me too." Dorian said with a grin before leaning in for another kiss, nipping at Cullen’s bottom lip.

Cullen growled and pushed Dorian down onto his back. Thankfully the fountain’s edge was quite wide. Dorian chuckled as Cullen loomed over him for a moment before swooping in for another hungry kiss.

The two lovers were so caught up in each other that they did not notice the shadow gazing down at them from one of the high Keep balconies. The figure watching them slammed a fist against the stone railing before turning and storming back inside, disappearing into the darkness of the unlit chamber.


	2. Heir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of a flashback chapter. I'll probably be updating every second day or so until I run out of pre-written chapters.
> 
> Enjoy and please let me know what you think! :D

-Some years earlier-

A young Dorian sighed as he made his way through the grounds towards the Ambassadors Compound in Ostwick. He had been up to the Trevelyan Estate to try and see Maxwell but had been turned away; the Heir had no time for a lowly apprentice Mage they had said. He was too busy with more important matters. Dorian had just wanted to offer his condolences for the death of the former head of the Trevelyan house and attempt to comfort his friend. Maxwell must be in a state. Just a week ago he had been laughing and happy, spending most of his free time with the young mage, even ditching out on his responsibilities on the odd occasion to surprise Dorian with a basket of treats or a walk through the gardens. Now he rarely even left his rooms. 

To make matters worse the young Heir’s arranged marriage to some pretty noblewoman from Orlais had to be escalated in order to secure the line of succession as soon as possible. First on the national agenda however, was dealing with the funeral arrangements and then the coronation. Maxwell was probably under a lot of stress. Maybe he could help with-

“Why so sad?” a familiar voice asked from nearby, making Dorian jump.

He spun to the side to see who had spoken, heart pounding in his chest. He was met with the warm smile of the guardsman he had met a few months earlier. He smiled in relief, letting out a slow breath.

“Oh, just thinking about Max.” Dorian said. 

When Cullen raised an eyebrow he added, “I mean, Lord Trevelyan. He must be in such turmoil right now. I can’t imagine the strain he must be feeling.”

Cullen’s smile faltered.

“The Marches have suffered a great loss.” He said in a quiet voice. “But I am sure Lord Trevelyan will lead us into greatness, as his father did before him.” He added, his smile returning.

This brought a slow smile to Dorian’s face as well. 

“So, what brings you here to the Ambassador’s Compound?” he asked the guardsman, or rather Templar recruit he supposed, after a few moments of silence.

“I was assigned here.” Cullen replied.

“Must be terribly boring being stationed here. Wouldn’t you rather be out in the city? Or at the Estate?”

“No not at all. In truth, I volunteered for the post.”

Dorian frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“Well-” Cullen began but stopped when he noticed the large group of guards approaching.

Dorian turned to see what had caught Cullen’s attention. His eyes locked on a contingent of guards bearing the Trevelyan crest who seemed to be escorting somebody.

“Who do you suppose-?” he whispered, turning slightly back to Cullen for an answer.

Before the other man could say anything the group suddenly halted before them, parting in a clamor of armour to reveal Maxwell at their center. Cullen’s eyes went wide. He straightened and saluted with an arm across his chest as the Trevelyan Heir made his way towards them. Dorian bowed low instead, spreading his robes to the side with one hand. Neither of them moved until the Heir was right in front of them. After a moment gentle fingers lifted Dorian’s head until he was standing up straight again.

“There is no need for that, my friend.” The Heir said in a soft voice.

“Maxwell, what are you doing here?” Dorian asked, “I mean no offence, it’s just that I was told you were not seeing anyone today.”

Maxwell smiled slightly.

“I was told a young apprentice mage had come to the Estate in search of me. I knew it had to be you because of the way the advisors spoke of you.”

“What do you mean? What did they say?” Dorian asked.

Maxwell glanced briefly at Cullen, who was still saluting.

“It would not be proper to repeat their words in front of others. Suffice it to say, you left quite an impression.”

Dorian blushed slightly. What could that have meant?

“Why did you want to see me, Dorian?” Maxwell asked, stepping in closer.

“I just wanted to see if you were alright. And to tell you that I grieve for your loss.” Dorian said, his eyes moving briefly to the ground as he spoke.

Maxwell nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement.

“Thank you, Dorian. That means a lot to me.”

“If there is anything I can do, not that I think there is much a lowly apprentice mage can do, don’t hesitate to ask.” Dorian offered with a small smile.

“I’m sure the most talent apprentice the College has seen in decades could do quite a bit. Don’t sell yourself short like that, Dorian.” Maxwell said with a slight smirk, “But in any case, the knowledge that I am in your thoughts is all I need.” Maxwell said, a small smile replacing the smirk on his lips.

Cullen, his arm finally growing tired, shifted slightly. Maxwell glanced over at him again, his gaze lingering this time.

“I’ve never seen you around the Estates before. Usually stationed down in Ostwick?” He asked the recruit.

“No, my Lord. Just transferred recently. From Fereldan.”

Maxwell nodded.

“A Templar recruit, judging by the sash around your waist.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Cullen replied formally.

“He has been appointed to the Ambassador’s Compound. Been doing an outstanding job keeping the peace around here.” Dorian added, smiling slightly as he caught the hint of red creeping up Cullen’s neck at his words.

“Is that so? Excellent. We need good men like that here.” Maxwell said before turning his attention back to Dorian.

“I’m afraid I must go now.” He said in a quiet voice, a hint of sadness in his tone.

“I’m sure you have much to attend to, my Lord.” Dorian said.

“I’ll have none of that formality now. Not from you.”

Dorian chuckled while nodding. 

“As you wish.”

“I’ll probably not see you again for a long while. Because of all that has to happen now.” Maxwell added after a pause.

Dorian sighed slightly, his eyes going to the ground once more.

“I understand, there is no need to explain.”

“I just want to let you know that even though there are so many differences between us, in ages, professions and heritage, you have always been a treasured friend. I’ll never forget that, Dorian.” Maxwell said, reaching up to tenderly stroke Dorian’s cheek.

Dorian could feel his face growing hot at the intimate gesture. Trevelyan, suddenly noticing exactly what it was he was doing jerked his hand away, a slight red tinge colouring his cheeks as well. Clearing his throat he turned away without waiting for Dorian to react.

With a flourish of the deep purple cloak he had draped over his shoulders the young Heir disappeared around the corner followed hastily by the guards who had escorted him. After a moment or two of staring blankly Dorian remembered that he was not alone. Turning back to Cullen he was surprised to find a scowl on the man’s face.

“Cullen, what’s wrong?”

Seeming to shake himself the Templar recruit looked down at the apprentice, his expression softening.

“It’s nothing, just lost in thought.” He said before a small grin crossed his lips.

“How’s the training going?” 

Dorian was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in subject and not convinced that there wasn’t something else bothering the older man but he let it slide. For now at least.

“Great actually. I’ve moved up a few ranks.” He said with a small smile of his own. 

“So soon after your last promotion? You must be really good at it.” Cullen said with enthusiasm. “You’ll be a full Enchanter in no time at all.”

“I’m no more talented than any other of my rank. I just read a lot.”

“And so humble too.” Cullen said with a chuckle.

Dorian grinned and gave the other man a playful shove.

“And what about you? Things must be going well for you too if you get to influence your postings.”

“It’s as good as it can be, I suppose. It helps to be on the good side of your superiors. And my natural talent with a blade and strategic skill also tips the scales in my favor.”

“You’re quite ‘humble’ yourself.” Dorian said, emphasising the word sarcastically.

“It’s one of my many admirable qualities, or so I’ve been told.” Cullen said with a chuckle.

The two stared at each other for a while before Dorian finally looked away, his hair falling into his face.

He huffed and brushed the errant strands away.

“I really should get this cut.” He said with a shrug.

Cullen raised an eyebrow.

“Why? I think the longer hair looks good on you.” He said with a sly grin.

“Oh? Maybe, I’ll keep it like this a bit longer then.” Dorian said with a sly grin of his own that surprisingly resulted in a blush spreading up the Templar recruit’s neck. 

“Well, I should get going. Got some reading to catch up on.” Dorian said after a moment of enjoying the other man’s embarrassment.

Cullen’s expression fell slightly but he nodded. Charmingly, the blush persisted.

“And I have some patrolling to get back to, I suppose. See you around?”

“Perhaps.” Dorian said with a grin, gently squeezing Cullen’s arm before turning and walking away. He made a point of not glancing back this time. Can’t seem too eager after all.

Cullen stood there watching the younger man leave. For almost a year now he had been keeping an eye on the beautiful apprentice, only meeting briefly and often by accident. At first it had been simple curiosity but after quite literally running into the young man it had developed into something more that he could not quite explain. Not yet. Signing, he turned and made his way back to his post, wondering if the other man thought about him half as much as Cullen thought about Dorian.

As he strode along he caught sight of movement through one of the large palace windows. Inside he saw the Heir speaking with a cluster of people. At the sight of the man his thoughts grew momentarily dark, recalling the intimate way in which Trevelyan had touched Dorian earlier. Grunting, he shoved it from his mind. No use stewing over something he had no control over.

“Hey Rutherford! Where’d you run off to?” a familiar voice called out as he approached his station. 

“Chasing some skirt I’d bet!” Samson said with a grin and a wink.

“Yeah, something like that.” Cullen said with a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“By the look on your face I’d wager it didn’t go too well?”

“As well as it could have gone, I suppose. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

“Not really, unless you count the arrival of some of the new kitchen supplies as interesting. You know, sometimes I wonder if…” The man droned on but Cullen wasn’t really listening, his thoughts straying to a certain dark haired figure instead, his arm still tingling where Dorian had touched him.

****

-Present day-

Maxwell paced around his chambers, brooding. His hand still ached from banging it onto the balcony railing a few moments earlier. All he could see was the image of Dorian in an intimate embrace with Commander Cullen. The brief interaction between Dorian and the Duke at the gathering that morning had annoyed him a bit, but this set his blood boiling. A tiny part of his mind told him that he was being stupid and that he had no claim on the advisor but the rest screamed in outrage and jealousy.

Ever since they had been childhood friends he had always enjoyed the full attention of the younger one’s friendship but that had changed when Dorian went from the endearing, smart-mouthed youth to the alluring, charismatic young man he was now. The worst of it was that Dorian had no idea of the effect he had on most people, especially he suspected, Maxwell himself. The way he moved when he walked into a room, immediately drawing all eyes. The way he met Maxwell’s gaze unflinchingly, no matter his mood. The way he self-consciously tucked his hair behind an ear, his beautiful, dark, cascading hair. Maxwell itched to run his fingers through it whenever the man stood too close. He had no idea how he still resisted.

He knew he was to blame for the divide that had grown between them but he still could not help the way he felt.

“And now he’s slipping even further away… towards him.” He growled to himself.

A sudden knock on the door startled him momentarily.

“Enter!” he called after a few seconds as he composed himself, taking on the role of the calm and collected Inquisitor.

A servant pushed open the door and bowed low.

“Forgive me, your Majesty, but Councilman Henderson requests an audience. It is urgent, he says.”

Maxwell groaned internally. Henderson was always a paranoid fool. A paranoid fool who also happened to be one of the richest men at court.

“Very well, send him in.” Maxwell said with a gesture towards the door.

He strode to the big armchair next to the fireplace and settled himself comfortably. Taking a deep breath he pushed all thoughts of Dorian out of his mind for now, as the councilman entered and began blabbering away. He’d figure out how to deal with Cullen later.


	3. Blindfolds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update, as promised.  
> I should warn you that things will start going down hill for our main characters in this chapter. Some violence and sexual situations are touched on through out though nothing too hectic as of yet. I'll be sure to include warnings when it becomes appropriate in future chapters. As usual, there is no Beta so please excuse any errors I might have missed.
> 
> Enjoy!

\- Before we continue with whatever this story is I thought I should just explain a few things. So while this takes place within Thedas there are a few canon divergent points, seeing as this story is originally set in a whole other universe and has been ported into this AU setup. Firstly, the Inquisition is more of an alliance of the free southern kingdoms rather than a religious militia. Maxwell is the leader of this alliance, alongside a council of representatives, because of his skill as both a general and diplomat. His noble heritage also helped with the choice. There is thus no herald/anchor plot device giving him authority. The peace talks and the rifts never happened. Corypheus is still an ancient powerful mage but lets just pretend he never received the orb from Solas so he had to do things a bit differently this time, starting in Tevinter.

Secondly, while the Chantry is still a powerful organization it is not the alpha and omega in this AU. The mages have universities and colleges where they study freely, keeping themselves in check rather than being subjugated by the Chantry and the Templars. The Templars are military units that specialize in anti-magic combat but they do not police the mages and have only loose ties with the Chantry. 

I know a lot of this flies in the face of what the Dragon Age universe (a universe which I absolutely adore) is but the point of this story is more focused on the characters being thrown in a specific situation and how they deal with that and each other rather than it being about the established plots/conflicts created by the brilliant writers at Bioware. There will be certain plotpoints from the canon universe that will pull through eventually as well. I hope this sort of makes sense and that it doesn’t offend in some way. Apologies for blabbing a bit. -

Now please enjoy the next chapter and please let me know what you think!

*****

“So what happens now?” Dorian asked as he leaned his head on Cullen’s shoulder.

“I expect a meeting will be arranged soon after dawn, for some further discussions and planning. Won’t get much in the way of rest any time soon,” Cullen said with a sigh.

“Well, dawn is still a few hours off and I know of something that tends to knock you right out. If you’re worried about falling asleep that is,” Dorian said with a grin and a slight nudge of his shoulder.

“Oh? And what miracle treatment would this be?”

“It’s a bit of a ritual actually,” Dorian replied, his grin unwavering. “It involves two people although sometimes more are involved if that is desired.”

A slight flush coloured Cullen’s pale skin but he said nothing.

“The participants are generally required to be naked, although certain items of clothing are know to encourage an increase in performance,” Dorian continued, his hands moving to gently ghost over Cullen’s arms.

Cullen made a sound low in his throat at the light touches but still he remained quiet.

“There are of course certain ritual items needed for a truly successful performance.”

“Such as?” Cullen asked, his voice hoarse with desire.

“A bit of oil, perfumed if possible. A silk sash, perhaps more than one depending on the mood, but I don’t think there’s a lot of time for that in this case.

“Why would you need a sash?” Cullen asked with a hint of confusion.

“To blindfold you, maybe bind your hands to keep them from interfering. There really are a lot of different uses,” Dorian said with a raised eyebrow.

He was about to continue when his breath was robbed from him by a searing kiss.

“Enough talk. Bed. Now!” Cullen said with a growl that made Dorian a bit weak in the knees.

“Gladly,” he breathed, gasping as Cullen nipped at his neck before leaping to his feet, hands pulling Dorian along with him.

The two chuckled as they hurried along towards the Advisors Quarters pausing every now and then for a deep kiss, both of them thankful for the lack of eyes in the early morning chill.

 

*****

Maxwell was still reeling at what Councilman Henderson had just told him. Tevinter had won yet another battle at the northern coast, this time overrunning one of Ferelden’s main port cities. Although it was a devastating blow to the war effort, this recent piece of news was not what had him so upset.

In his hand was a report detailing the correspondence between important Tevinter generals and a member of his own inner circle. The report contained descriptions of weak points in the Inquisition army, defense protocols and even supplies details on their stocks. This was clear evidence of the notorious leak that had been costing the Inquisition so much. Yet, this was still not the thing that set his heart beating so fast.

Before him on the large mahogany desk sat a rolled up document bearing the signatures of the majority of councilmen and women needed to pass a final judgment. The council had been formed alongside the Alliance between Ferelden, Orlais and the Chantry. It consisted of influential members from all three factions and was called on to regulate the fair resolution of the conflicts faced by the southern lands. Maxwell had been elected as Inquisitor mainly due to his leadership and strategic knowledge but also in part because of his neutrality towards the three factions. As a former Marcher he held no ties to either Orlais or Ferelden and not by being a member of the clergy avoided any chance for manipulation by the Chantry.

Traditionally the signature of the Inquisitor was included in documents like these. Traditionally the Inquisitor would have been a part of the gathering that had taken the vote in the first place, however. Apparently the council had decided to risk it and meet without Maxwell’s knowledge. Max picked up the parchment and unfurled it. He didn’t really need to read through it again as he could very clearly remember the main part of the document, the words etched into his mind.

“…Suspected of the crime of high treason against the Southern Alliance and the Inquisition, this Council of Twelve calls for the immediate incarceration of one Dorian of House Pavus, former Arcane Advisor to Lord Inquisitor Trevelyan. Any attempt to impede the will of the council, and thus the will of the Inquisition, will be met with swift retribution. Furthermore…”

Max shuddered as his eyes scanned over the words again. It was not possible. He knew that Dorian was not the leak. He didn’t know who it was but for some reason he trusted that it was not Dorian. That damn document however, was absolute. Although it was not a very popular course of action and one that was rarely ever taken, the majority vote of the council had the power to override even the Inquisitor on matters of treason.

“Why have you done this? And without my consent?” he asked in a low voice, barely kept from breaking.

Councilman Henderson did not even blink.

“Lord Inquisitor, most of the court is very aware of your um “weakness” when it comes to advisor, excuse me, former advisor Pavus. The vote had to happen without your emotions being able to influence the result. An unfortunate but necessary precaution. If it is any consolation, my Lord Inquisitor, know that many councilmen only voted in favor of the order after about the third gathering. Most did not want to believe that Dorian could be responsible for such treason but once these documents were recovered they had no choice,” The councilman said in a grave tone.

“Third gathering? You mean to say that you went behind my back not once but three times?” Maxwell asked in a cold tone.

“I- It was a necessary-“ Henderson began but was cut off.

“Why do you think these correspondences involve Dorian?”

“The crest faintly imprinted in the bottom right corner of the paper. It is the seal of one of the most influential houses in Tevinter, the very same house that Dorian hails from. Being the only member of that house within the court it is not difficult to put one and one together and deduce the identity of the leak.”

Max glanced at the paper again. There in the corner was indeed the faded imprint of a crest. A twisted two-headed serpent. It was indeed the crest of Dorian’s house but Maxwell still felt it was unlikely that that was the only bit of evidence to condemn the young man. Dorian was from a minor branch of the family, one that was apparently quite unpopular in Tevinter circles. The chance that he had any sway within the Tevinter court through family connection was slim, especially since the Venatori takeover. Secondly, who in their right mind would add their seal to such an incriminating document? It felt too much like a setup, but for the moment there was not much that Max could do about it. If Dorian went quietly it would certainly count in his favor. Chances of a fair trail would only increase; giving Max the time he needed to sort this mess out. 

Maxwell took a deep breath before turning to regard the councilman with a cold glare.

“I appreciate the concerns of the council and I trust that all actions are solely undertaken within the best interests of the Inquisition and the Alliance,” He said in a low voice.

“I’m so relieved that-“ Henderson began but was cut short again as Maxwell continued.

“I do not, however, appreciate the fact that my own council feels the need to go behind my back. Know that you have set in motion a series of events that may not work out in your favor. Know also that my support lies with Dorian first and foremost, as I believe him to be innocent of these charges and unless I am presented with SOLID evidence I will continue to do so. This is not because of some perceived ‘weakness’ on my part but because I believe Dorian to be an honorable man regardless of any personal feelings.”

The councilman paled slightly at the tone of Maxwell’s voice but his own remained remarkably steady as he spoke.

“I understand, Lord Inquisitor. I will relay your message to the other council members,” He said before giving a quick bow and backing towards the door.

“Oh and councilman. Go behind my back again and you can expect a swift trip to the headsman’s block. I care nothing for your supposed influence. This I promise you,” Maxwell said to the man’s back. He smiled to himself as he saw the hint of a shiver traveling down the man’s spine just before the doors swung shut.

Moments later the doors swung open again. It was the same servant who had come in earlier, obviously checking in for any further instruction. 

“Please send for a detachment of guards to meet with the councilmen at the advisors quarters as soon as possible,” He said without looking at the man.

“At once, Lord Inquisitor,” The servant said with a much deeper bow than Henderson had given before scuttling away to do as commanded.

Maxwell sat back down behind his desk, his hands gripping the arms of his chair so hard that the wood actually creaked. He wanted to scream, to throw everything off the desk, to kick anything he could reach. What was he going to do? How was he going to stop Dorian from facing these charges? With a roar he slammed his fists against the table. This time he didn’t even register the pain, even as a trickle of warm blood began to pool on the hard wooden surface.

****

Dorian gasped as Cullen bit into his shoulder. It wasn’t a painful bite; rather it sent a shiver of pleasure through his body all the way to his toes. A series of wet kisses trailing up his neck made him groan. Cullen chuckled at the sounds Dorian was making. He pulled back a bit just to smile at the mage.

“What?” Dorian asked after a moment, a small smile on his own face.

“I’m just so happy to be with you,” Cullen said in a breathy voice.

Dorian laughed and pulled the blonde close for another kiss. He ran his hands down the muscled chest, enjoying the feeling of the fuzzy hair that covered most of it. The silk bed sheets felt good against the bare skin of his back as Cullen pushed him down, looming over him. The bigger man grunted as Dorian reached up and pulled him down against his bare chest.

“I really should have taken a bath before coming to see you. I’m all sweaty, it’s probably messing up your fancy linens,” Cullen said, a small flush of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Dorian looked up at him, eyes glazed with lust. In a painfully slow motion he leaned in and licked a trail across Cullen’s collarbone, moving up his neck. 

“But I like it when you sweat,” He breathed as he came close to Cullen ear.

The blonde shivered, a deeper flush spreading down his neck. Dorian chuckled at the dark expression on his face.

“Well? Are you just going to stare at me like that all night? You look adorable all flushed and tousled but that’s not really what I want right now,” He said and proceeded to grind his obvious arousal against Cullen’s own.

With a growl the blonde dived in for another passionate kiss that left them both gasping for air moments later. Just as Dorian’s hands began to fumble with the ties of Cullen’s breeches there was a loud knock on the door.

“By order of the Inquisitor, open up!” a deep voice called.

Cullen sat up glancing first at the doors in the outer chamber and then at Dorian.

“What the hell could that be?” the mage said, pushing Cullen aside gently before getting up.

In nothing but his underwear the advisor made his way to the outer room. Cullen padded along behind him, his bare feet slapping on the marble floor. Dorian grabbed a robe from a chair as he passed it and threw it on. 

“You do realize that it is three in the morning?” he snapped at the young guardsman who stood with a fist raised to knock again.

Before he could say anything further he noticed the other guards, private guards employed by one of the councilmen, who stood stern-faced behind him crowding the passageway. 

“What’s going on?” Cullen asked as he stepped up behind Dorian.

Eyebrows rose briefly as the gathered people noticed the obvious stat of undress of the two men standing in the doorway but no one said anything about it. Instead the young guard lightly grasped Dorian’s shoulder.

“By order of the Inquisitor and the Council of Twelve you are placed under arrest for suspected treason against the Southern Alliance,” The guard said firmly. “Please comply without resistance.”

“What?” Dorian asked, completely stunned.

Cullen pushed past him and wrenched the guard’s arm away.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. “Who gave this order?” 

“I did,” Came a voice from behind the gathered guards. At the end of the hall Dorian could see Henderson as well as a few other councilmen and women making their way forward.

“Councilman this is madness!” Cullen cried.

“Evidence has surfaced linking Arcane Advisor Dorian-“ the guard began but Henderson cut in.

“Former advisor,” He said with a small smile.

The guard sighed before continuing.

“-linking former Advisor Pavus to various treasonous acts.”

“You can’t be serious?” Cullen exclaimed. “Dorian would never betray-“

“Regardless of your personal convictions, Commander, the law is the law. Now step aside and allow things to take their proper course,” Henderson said, frowning as he took in Cullen’s bare chest and the loose robe draped around Dorian’s shoulders.

“You-you can’t be serious? There is no way-“

“Commander Cullen, stand back and-“ Henderson began.

“Councillors, this is impossible!” Cullen called to the gathered men and women.

“On the contrary-“Henderson began but Cullen snapped back.

“I wasn’t speaking to you, Henderson,” He growled. 

This pattern continued for a few moments, a back and forth between Cullen and Henderson until suddenly Cullen lunged forward, slamming the councilman against the wall so hard that a portrait that hung nearby crashed to the floor.

“I don’t care what you have supposedly decreed; Dorian is innocent!” he roared, lifting the councilman up off the ground by his neck. The man made choking noises, his hands flailing.

“Cullen, stop!” Dorian cried, trying to pull the man back.

A few other guards also jumped forward trying to help. Finally they got the two separated. Dorian held on to Cullen as the man panted.

“This isn’t helping anything, Cullen,” He said softly. “I’m sure there is some sort of misunderstanding.”

“I’ll see you whipped for that,” Henderson spat, glaring daggers at Cullen.

“No please!” Dorian called. “He was acting in my defense. He was just caught off guard by all of this. I’ll come quietly, just please let the Commander go.”

Henderson considered for a moment before nodding.

“Very well. I shall not take action against Commander Cullen provided you do as you have said,” Henderson said with a glare at the Commander.

Dorian nodded, allowing one of the guards to shackle his wrists together behind his back. He could feel the runes inscribed into the metal dampen his magical abilities. They weren’t taking any chances it seemed.

“I’ll see to the rest, Councillors. You may retire,” Henderson said to the other councillors at the end of the hall. They hesitated a moment before filing out, looking decidedly sheepish.

“Dorian, NO!” Cullen cried as he lunged forwards again. Before he could reach Dorian he was caught by two guards who held him back firmly. 

Henderson looked from Cullen to Dorian and then back. He grinned before snapping his fingers. A third guard walked up and punched Dorian in the stomach. Dorian gasped, doubling over. The guard punched him again, across the face this time so that he fell to the floor. Without his hands to catch himself he slammed into the stonework. Cullen screamed in rage as he tried to break free with renewed strength.

“Stop struggling Commander, or Dorian won’t have such a pretty face anymore,”

Cullen stopped fighting instantly. The look he directed at Henderson promised violence however. Dorian groaned as the guard pulled him to his feet. He did not say a word, instead turning to the side to spit out some blood before lifting his head high.

“Can we get on with this councilman?” he asked in a cold voice after a moment of tense silence.

The councilman frowned at the tone but nodded at the guard who held Dorian. The man nudged the mage forward, heading down the corridor. The other guards fell in behind them. Dorian turned his head back to see that three guards remained behind, the two holding Cullen and the one who had punched him.

“Deal with him. And make it look convincing,” Henderson said before following.

“NO! You gave your word!” Dorian cried, struggling to turn back.

“I said that ‘I’ would not take action against him. I said nothing about my men however,” The councilman said with a grin. 

Dorian screamed as the hulking guard raised a fist to punch Cullen. The last thing he saw before being pushed around the corner was Cullen hunching over in the grip of the two guards as the other man rained blows down on him. He could hear the splatter of blood on the floor. That sound nearly drove him mad.


	4. The Pit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I took my sweet time posting an update and I'm so sorry about that. To make up for it this is a bit of a long chapter so I hope that helps.
> 
> Also, 
> 
> !!WARNINGS FOR BAD THINGS!!
> 
> Violence, attempted rape and abuse are in this chapter! I'll add warning in chapter just in case but feel free to click away if this might be upsetting to you. It doesn't go into great detail, being more implied, but I just want to make sure it doesn't catch anyone by nasty surprise. There are some sweet moments too so dont worry too much
> 
> Still no beta so any errors are my own. If the blunders are hectic please point them out to me.
> 
> Enjoy and let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts! (hopefully good ones)

“Commander!”

The call was muted, far off.

“Commander Cullen!”

It came again, a bit closer this time. A hand grasped his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

“Commander? Commander Cullen, can you hear me?” 

He knew that voice. With some effort he tried to clear his head and remember from where.

“Cullen?”

His vision, while still rather muddled, eventually focused on the shape of a woman kneeling beside him. 

“Cassandra?” he mumbled, his voice sounding ragged.

“Yes, I’m here Commander,”

“Oh stop with the titles. No need for that, old friend,” He chided with a small smile, wincing as a cut on his lip flared with the motion.

Cassandra grasped his arm and helped him to stand up. It was painful, his limbs screaming in protest to the movement.

After a few deep breaths that sent his ribs creaking, Cullen looked down at the unconscious forms of the private guards that had been beating him moments earlier. A group of loyal Keep guards stood nearby, weapons at the ready.

“Thank you, Cass. For the timely rescue,” He said, turning back to his friend.

“No thanks necessary,” The guardswoman said, gripping Cullen on the shoulder.

“Not to sound ungrateful, but why are you here though?”

“We could hear the commotion from far off as we approached Advisor Pavus’s quarters. The Inquisitor had sent us you see, to make sure there was no trouble with the um, arrest,” The woman cleared her throat rather sheepishly as Cullen frowned, before continuing, “It would seem that the council had other ideas, arriving ahead of us with these idiots,“ she said, nudging one of the bodies with her foot.

Cullen’s frown deepened.

“Listen Cullen, none of us believe Dorian did anything wrong. I personally volunteered when I heard the order, as did most of the men. We’ve all seen what Dorian does for the Alliance and wanted to make sure things went smoothly for everyone involved,”

Cullen nodded, his frown fading slightly before snapping back into place.

“But the Inquisitor-“

“The Inquisitor would never have ordered something like this and you know it.” Cassandra said, meeting his eyes.

“Do you know where Dorian has been taken?” Cullen asked after a moment.

“To the Keep dungeons.”

“The Pit?!” Cullen exclaimed, “Why not the Tower? He’s no common criminal!”

“I’m not sure why they took him there. It would seem the council are taking a few rather drastic measures.”

“Drastic?! Cassandra, he’ll be ripped apart in there. They bound his magic! Do they not fear the wrath of the Inquisitor at all? Surely they must know how much he values Dorian!” Cullen yelled, pacing.

“Like I said Cullen, I have no idea what’s going on right now,”

“I need to get him out of there!” Cullen exclaimed once more, making to push past the gathered guards. Cassandra grabbed his arm, spinning him back to face her.

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” the asked, one hand on her hip.

“I’m the bloody Commander. I plan on marching in and demanding they release him!”

“Your word as Commander won’t count for anything, Cullen. The council clearly doesn’t have a high regard for you, seeing as they left you to be killed by their attack dogs,”

“Henderson. Not the others. This is all on Henderson,”

“Why Henderson?” Cass asked with a frown, her sharp features drawing together.

“He was the one that took charge here. He sent the other councilmen away before hurting Dorian and then giving the order to dispose of me,”

Cassandra’s frown turned into a look of confusion.

“Why would he do something like this? He has an important seat on the council and is well liked by almost everyone. What does he gain by defying the Inquisitor, killing a respected Commander and imprisoning a popular advisor?”

Cullen sighed. 

“I have no idea, Cass. But I need to get Dorian out of that damn pit at least,”

“Go to the Inquisitor. He’s the only one with the authority to help in any meaningful way,”

Cullen pursed his lips before nodding.

“You might want to put on a shirt before doing so?” Cassandra said, eyeing his bare chest. Cullen frowned at her.

“Just a suggestion,” She said with a shrug before motioning for a man who stepped forward with some clothes and a pair of boots.

Cullen hastily shrugged into the shirt before tackling the boots.

When he was done he straightened and stomped down the corridor without another word. The other guards followed closely, except for Cassandra. She hung back for a moment or two before delivering a solid kick to the gut of one of the fallen mercenaries.

“That’s for Cullen, you bastard,” She spat before turning and striding down the corridor as well.

“Thanks for that one,” Cullen said as she caught up to him moments later.

“It was my pleasure,” She said with a determined grin.

*****

Things had not gone according to plan. Why had the bloody Commander been there? This complicated matters.

Henderson sighed. His masters are not going to be pleased.

Luckily, there was always a backup plan.

*****

“He did what?!” the Inquisitor demanded.

“It’s true, my Lord. Commander Cullen flew into a rage and personally assaulted me. He stood in direct defiance of your orders. Councilman Sadler tried to talk him down but the Commander ran him through with the man’s own belt knife. If not for the loyal men under my employ I fear he would have killed me, perhaps even another of the councilmen,”

“Why would he do this? What of Dorian? Is he safe?” the Inquisitor asked, standing.

Henderson paused a moment, his gaze on the floor, seemingly troubled.

“I’m truly sorry about this, my Lord but it seems the allegations against Dorian proved to be true. In a burst of power he subdued the men holding him and fled from the Keep, a clear affirmation of his guilt.”

Maxwell sat back in the chair, dumbstruck. Dorian, a traitor to the Alliance. Cullen, a Commander disgraced. And a councilman, murdered, to top it all off. This was too much. How could Dorian have done this?

At that moment the doors flew open and Cullen strode in, his face a thunder cloud.

“How could you do this?!” he bellowed, glaring at the Inquisitor.

“Excuse me?” Maxwell asked, taken aback by the bloodstained intruder.

“Guards!” Henderson shrieked.

Cullen turned at the sound, his face going bright red with rage as he saw the councilman. A group of men bustled into the room before Cullen could act, restraining him. One of the guards that had entered was a woman that Maxwell recognized. 

“Lady Pentaghast, escort this man to the Tower immediately!” Henderson shrieked again.

“On what charges?” the woman asked.

“Murder of a councilman,” The Inquisitor said in a low voice.

“What?!” Cullen and the woman exclaimed simultaneously.

“That’s right! I saw you kill councilman Sadler in cold blood!” Henderson spewed.

“I did no such thing! Inquisitor, they took Dorian captive. He’s been thrown in the Pit!” Cullen yelled, turning to the Inquisitor.

“Dorian has escaped and is a fugitive of the Alliance,” Henderson said before Maxwell could reply

“That’s not possible. You bound his magic, he-“ Cullen began.

“Inquisitor, I was there. This didn’t-“ Cassandra protested as well.

“Enough of these lies! Lord Inquisitor, dispose of this foul murderer and likely conspirator,” Henderson interrupted.

“My Lord, this cannot be true,” Cassandra said, her eyes moving between the men in the room before stopping on Maxwell.

“She’s probably in on it too, Inquisitor. She’s one of his highest ranking officers here and it’s no secret that she is a friend of the accused.” Henderson said, motioning between Cassandra and Cullen.

“What are you implying councilman?” the woman demanded, turning towards the man.

“You heard me!” Henderson spat back.

“Silence!” Maxwell called, standing. “Enough of this. Lady Pentaghast, please escort Commander Cullen to the Tower pending an investigation into this murder claim,”

“But your majesty-“ she protested but was cut off by Cullen’s cold tone.

“Cass, enough. The Inquisitor has spoken.” He said through gritted teeth.

She turned to regard him.

“But Commander-”

“Do as you are told, Cassandra,” Cullen snapped, his glare focusing on Henderson.

Cassandra turned back to look first at the Inquisitor and then at the councilman before closing her eyes and sighing.

“You heard the Inquisitor,” She ordered, motioning the other guards forward.

The guardsmen stiffened for a moment, unsure, until a pointed look from Cassandra prompted them into action. Before they could turn him away Cullen made eye contact with the Inquisitor.

“You don’t believe this, I can see it in your face. Don’t become a tool for men like him to use,” He said, nodding towards Henderson.

“Find the truth, Maxwell!” he called as the guards led him out the door.

Cassandra stood silently regarding the floor for a moment before shooting a glare at Henderson. Then without a word she left.

“Thank you for-“ Henderson began but stopped when he saw the look on Maxwell’s face.

“This is the second time today, councilman.” He said in a cold voice. “I’ve gone along with your word, for now, because I don’t have all the facts. Rest assured that I will get to the bottom of this. Now leave, before I cleave your head from your shoulders myself,”

The councilman hastily complied.

*****

“I’ll take it from here men,” Cass said as they approached the looming tower complex.

“Are you sure Lady Pentaghast?” one of the men asked.

“I can handle things now. All that’s left is paperwork anyway. It’s late; head back to the barracks and get some rest. That’s an order,”

The men hesitated for a moment, gazes shifting between Cassandra and the ‘prisoner’. Finally they saluted to Cullen and walked away.

“Cass, what are you doing?” Cullen asked.

“What am I doing? What are YOU doing? Why did you just give up like that?” she demanded.

“There was no point in fighting that particular fight. Henderson’s dealings obviously run far deeper than we thought. He probably had Sadler killed himself and I’ll bet he has witnesses ready to swear it was me. Maxwell’s hands were tied as well, for the moment at least, but I could see he knows that something is very wrong. He’ll act to fix this. For now it won’t help to cause any more trouble,” he said with a resigned look.

Cassandra regarded him silently for a moment.

“I see,” she said simply.

Cullen frowned.

“That’s it? You usually put up more of a fight,” he said.

“Well, it’s like you said, no point in fighting that particular fight,” Cassandra shot back, taking a step closer.

“What are you up to, Cass?” Cullen asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

Cassandra made a disgusted noise deep in her throat.

“Oh why do you care? You’re just going to go sit quietly in a cell while you wait for this to fix itself, right?”

“Cass, that’s not what I said,” Cullen protested.

“Oh? So you’re going to help me get to the bottom of this then?” she asked, eyebrows raised mockingly.

“Help you do what? How?”

“I’m not sure yet. I know it starts with getting Dorian out of the Pit though. Or at the very least having a look into what Henderson has set up for him,” She said, her lips drawn together in thought

“Cassandra. You know I want nothing more than getting Dorian back safe as soon as possible, but you will be dragging yourself into something that you won’t be able to back away from. Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked, meeting her eyes with his.

Cassandra frowned, stepping forward. Wordlessly she reached forward and unlocked his shackles.

“Does that answer your question?”

*****

A sudden light from high above indicated that someone was climbing down into the Pit, an archaic system that basically comprised of a bunch of criminals being thrown into a deep well to rot until some official found the time to process their arrest. An old Orlesian practice, if he recalled correctly. So much for a ‘civilized society’.

Dorian watched the vague outlines of the people descending the ladder that had been lowered moments before. The old man that, thankfully, was the only other occupant of the pit at that time scooted away. He had been put in the Pit for petty thievery and from what Dorian could gather was pretty harmless. Dorian tried to stand but stumbled and fell against the wall. His leg still hurt from the fall when the guards had pushed him off the ladder earlier. Dorian was just happy it hadn’t been broken.

He steadied himself against the wall, his shackles biting into his wrists and watched as five large men stepped off the ladder and crowded into the relatively small space. Two of them held torches, casting a flickering light on the gathered faces. They did not look friendly.

“Who are you? Has the Inquisitor sent for me?” Dorian asked, trying to remain calm.

“So this is the gift we’ve been promised?” The one in front asked after a moment of silent staring, smirking as he took in the dirt stained robe that Dorian wore

“He’s kinda pretty for a boy.” Another added. There were grunts and hoots of agreement.

“You haven’t answered my question.” Dorian said, barely keeping his voice from shaking.

He was practically defenseless. With those shackles inhibiting his magic, along with his injured leg, there was no way he would be able to resist these men. And by the looks they shot at him it was very clear what they intended to do.

As expected, one of them stepped up and slapped Dorian across the face, the sound bouncing off the walls of the Pit. 

“You’ll do better keeping that pretty mouth shut for now, pretty thing.” The man said before stepping back again.

“Who sent you? It was Henderson, wasn’t it?” Dorian asked, wincing as his face throbbed. He could taste blood from his split lip. There was a chuckle from the men in response.

“You know, I’ve never really liked these noble types. Always coming across as so superior over anyone else. Never doing as they are told.” The lead man said, turning to the side and spitting. 

“I’m really gonna enjoy my time with you.” He added with a grin.

Dorian tensed as the brutish man moved forward. 

“Hey now!” a sudden voice from the corner called. It was the old man.

“You can’t go around doing things like this,” The man said, moving on tired legs to stand between Dorian and the would-be abusers.

“Oh? And what do we have here? A knight in shining armor?” the lead thug said, throwing his head back and laughing.

“What are you doing?” Dorian asked in a low voice as the other men joined in the laughing.

“The right thing,” The old man replied. “Just try to stay strong, no matter what comes,” He added with a rather toothless smile.

Dorian was about to say something back when a swift movement caught him off guard. The lead thug had his hand wrapped around the old man’s skinny throat. Dorian cried out and tried to claw at the brute but with a sickening crunch the man effortlessly snapped the old man’s neck. The man hadn’t even made a sound. Dorian gasped, falling back as the brute tossed the limp form aside. He chuckled before turning his filthy daze back to Dorian.

“Now that he’s out of the way, it’s your turn pretty thing,”

*****

“So what’s the plan?” Cullen whispered as he bent down next to Cassandra. They hunched behind a low wall, the gated entrance to the Pit not far ahead of them. 

“Why are you asking me?”

“You’ve always been better at scheming,”

“Not sure how I’m supposed to feel about that one. Alright, just give me a minute,” Cassandra replied, her brows drawn down as she concentrated.

After a minute or two of silence she turned to look at Cullen.

“Firstly, the regular guard staff has been replaced by those same mercenaries Henderson used earlier. That means we’re on our own with this, no backup,”

“Stealth is key then,” Cullen noted.

Cass nodded. “Exactly,” 

She turned back to look at the gate as she continued, motioning with her hands as she did.

“That guard post is usually manned by at least four or five men but it looks to be occupied by only two. The mercenaries obviously are not aware of the usual system. Or perhaps most of them have been placed inside?” she mused, “Yes, the latter is most likely.”

Cullen grunted in agreement but said nothing to interrupt.

“We should be able to take those two, quietly mind you, and get inside,” She said, turning to look at Cullen.

“What about the gate? Isn’t the key only kept on the inside?”

“That is the standard protocol but it would seem these mercenaries didn’t do their homework,” She said, pointing at one of the two guards.

Cullen looked over to see one of the men playing with a ring of keys, idly twirling it around a finger as he spoke to the other man.

“Idiots,” He breathed.

“It’s our gain,” Cass said with a small grin.

“Alright, so that covers the outside guards and the gate. What do we do once we’re inside?”

Cassandra was silent for a moment.

“We have no way of telling how many guards are inside. Usually there would be less guards inside than outside. The pit itself doesn’t need that large a number of men watching over it. The smooth walls of the well do most of the work. But with these mercenaries? I am not certain,” she said.

“So we wing it?” Cullen asked.

Cassandra sighed before smiling, grasping the hilt of the knife she had on her belt.

“It always ends up like this,” she said with a grunt.

Cullen returned the smile, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing softly.

“Thank you, Cass. This really means everything to me.”

“Oh I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it so that I can see Henderson’s face when he realizes what has happened.” She said teasingly, but returned the squeeze with her free hand.

“Ready?” Cullen asked.

She gave a sharp nod in answer.

“Here we go then,” Cullen whispered and braced himself for the conflict that was about to erupt.

****

//A few years ago//

 

“Cullen, this is highly irregular.” Dorian protested as the older man guided him forward.

“Is the blindfold really necessary?” he asked again after a few minutes of silence.

“Yes. Just keep it on and be patient,” Cullen whispered. 

Dorian grinned at the tone of excitement he could hear in Cullen’s voice. He sighed dramatically and let the man tow him forward.

A short while later Cullen pulled him to a stop. He couldn’t see where he was obviously but the air felt hot and humid. There was a familiar scent that he couldn’t quite place.

“So remember a few months ago, the mishap with the bug repellant that killed off most of the palace flowers?” Cullen asked.

“How could I forget? They sealed off my favourite spot, the one with roses,” Dorian said with a sad sigh.

“Well, I twisted a few arms and got the groundskeepers to organize a little something special,” Cullen said with a grin.

“Oh?”

“Take of the blindfold,” Cullen said in a voice that sent a small jolt of something through Dorian.

Slowly, he reached up and pulled the piece of cloth away from his eyes. A small gasp escaped him as he took in his surroundings. They stood in the center of a large glass structure; one of the old greenhouses kept for colder months that rarely ever came. It was packed with rose bushes.

“Cullen, what is all this?” Dorian exclaimed.

“A greenhouse full of roses, obviously,”

Dorian shoved him playfully, making Cullen chuckle.

“These are the replacement roses to be planted when the grounds workers have prepared the gardens and cleared away all the dead plants,” He stated.

“It’s amazing, Cullen. Thank you for showing me,” Dorian said, staring at the brightly coloured blooms for a few minutes before turning to the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Cullen asked, confused.

“Oh, you wanted to stay longer? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” Dorian said, turning back.

“I thought YOU would be the one who wanted to stay longer? You’ve been moping about ever since the garden was sealed. That is why I brought you here,” Cullen said, gesturing.

“Oh Cullen,” Dorian said with a smile, shaking his head, “While I did miss the beautiful flowers, that wasn’t why I had been sad,” He said as he stepped closer.

“What was it then? Did something else happen?” Cullen asked with a hint of concern.

“No no, don’t worry. It was a purely selfish reason,” Dorian assured him.

“Tell me?”

Dorian sighed.

“I valued that garden, the whole space, because that is where I had met you, a friend very dear to me. I was just a little upset over not being able to visit it and reminisce a little. Perhaps even run into you again,” he said with a small smile, a faint pink colouring his dark skin.

“Ah, I see.” Cullen said a little flatly.

“Cullen, I didn’t mean to undermine your effort. These flowers really are lovely and they did brighten my day considerably-”

“Is that all you see me as?” Cullen asked softly, interrupting him.

“I- what?” Dorian asked, confused.

“A friend,” Cullen stated, something off in his tone.

“Of course I see you as a friend, Cullen. Why would you ask-“

“I have somewhere to be,” Cullen said suddenly, turning away from Dorian.

“Cullen, what is going-“

“See you later, ‘friend’,” Cullen said flatly, emphasizing the last word before striding off, leaving Dorian alone in the greenhouse.

Dorian stared after him for a long moment, too taken aback to react.

“Well that went tits up way faster than even I had thought it would,” a voice from behind him said. Dorian spun around to regard the speaker. It was a young woman, a guard by the look of her uniform. Her face seemed familiar to him.

“I’m Cassandra, a friend of Cullen’s.” She offered when seeing his puzzled look.

“Of course, Lady Cassandra. Forgive me for not recognizing you,” Dorian said, putting the pieces together, “The uniform is new? I’ve only ever seen you in formal attire.”

She nodded.

“I’ve recently been assigned to active duty with the Templars again,” She offered in explanation.

“Ah, that makes sense,” Dorian said with a nod of his own.

“So, you really don’t see it?” she asked after a moment of awkward silence.

“See what?”

“The way he looks at you.”

“Who, Cullen? He’s always looked that way?” Dorian said with a frown.

“Maybe that’s because he’s always been captivated by you.” Cassandra said with a small grin.

“What?”

“He cares for you. A great deal,” she said, her voice losing its playful edge.

“He-“

Cassandra made a disgusted noise.

“For someone so smart you really do seem a bit dense. No offence,” she said.

Dorian didn’t reply. He stared at the blindfold still clutched in one hand.

“He cares for me? As more than a friend?” he asked, looking up to meet Cassandra’s gaze.

“Sad isn’t it?” She said with a sigh and sauntered closer. “Broke a lot of hearts in the barracks when word got out that he was taken. I’ll admit that even I felt like a ship had sailed.”

“But he never-“

“Oh please. Do you mean to tell me you’ve never noticed how his patrols just happen to be close by? How he accidently crosses paths with you every other day? How he knows just about everything about you? And the blushing? All that blushing never raised any questions?” she demanded, hands on her hips. 

“I never really thought about it that way,” Dorian said sheepishly.

“Then what was with all the flirting?”

“Flirting?”

“The longing looks, the light touches, the quiet laughing. It’s difficult to watch you two together sometimes,” Cassandra said with a grimace.

“You’ve been watching us?” Dorian asked, slightly aghast.

“Of course, but that isn’t the point. The point is that you clearly have feelings for him too, even if you don’t realize it. You said it yourself earlier.”

“I did?” 

“You said you missed the garden because of the memory you have of Cullen. You’ve been sulking for months and it has been driving him crazy. Do you really think regular friends react as strongly as that to simple memories?”

“I- I suppose not.” He said softly.

The more he considered, the more it made sense. He did have feelings for Cullen. There had been a flash of something when they had first met but as time passed he had dismissed it as teenage hormones and focused more on the casual friendship they had started. Now, five years later, he realized what an idiot he had been.

“I’m a fool. A blind storming fool,” Dorian said, rubbing his palms across his face.

“Agreed. But then, so is he,” Cassandra said with arms folded, “So what are you going to do about it?”

“I have to speak to him. To tell him I’m sorry for-“

“Where is the flair? The big gesture of affection? You’ll have to come up with something grand.” Cassandra chided.

“Like what? I’m no good at this, clearly,” Dorian said with a frown.

“That’s what I’m here for. But you owe me for this. It’s not everyday I help someone else get the perfect man.”

*****

“Cass this is highly irregular.” Cullen protested as the woman guided him forward.

“Oh hush. I heard from one of the maids that suspicious people have been seen lurking in the gardens at night. And with the grand reopening in a few days we can’t afford any trouble,” She hissed.

“But why do WE have to check it out, surely someone else can,” He said sulkily but allowed Cassandra to pull him ahead anyway. 

He didn’t like thinking of the gardens anymore, reminded him of Dorian too much. A month had passed since the awkward rejection and he hadn’t really spoken to the young man since. He didn’t even really know why, Dorian hadn’t done anything wrong, but he just couldn’t bring himself to confront the man for longer than a stammered greeting.

A dim light could be seen up ahead, filtering through the hedges that surrounded one of the more private gardens. He almost groaned when he realized it was THAT garden. 

“You see that?” Cass asked.

He grunted.

“You check out the opening up ahead, I’ll circle around to the other side. Stay low,” She whispered before melting into the shadows before he could protest. For someone who is usually all bluster and brute force, she was surprisingly good at that.

Cullen sighed before crouching down and moving forward. As he approached the arched entrance he slowed, checking that his knife was clear in his belt just incase this got rough. He slowly peaked around the corner. A solitary figure stood near the center, beside the wide fountain. A small lantern rested on the ledge. Cautiously he crept forward.

“State your business stranger!” he called from a few feet away.

“Hardly a stranger,” A familiar voice said. The figure turned and threw back the hood on the dark cloak, revealing Dorian’s smiling face. Cullen’s heart fluttered for a moment before going cold. He straightened.

“Dorian, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you,” Dorian replied, his smile falling slightly at the tone in Cullen’s voice.

“Why?” 

“Because I had to tell you something,” Dorian said, his smile taking on a shy cast.

“Oh?”

Dorian nodded and strode towards him, stopping mere inches away.

“Well?” Cullen asked, peering at the younger man when there were no words spoken.

Instead of answering, Dorian raised himself ever so slightly on his toes and kissed Cullen. It was a rather chaste kiss, a soft press of lips against lips, but it completely took Cullen’s breath away. He stood stunned for a second, trying to process what had just happened. When Dorian moved to pull away he groaned, grabbing on to the smaller man and keeping him close. He deepened the kiss, cupping Dorian’s face with one hand and tilting his head slightly. Dorian sighed as he leaned into the embrace. Cullen groaned again as Dorian nipped at his lower lip, dragging his teeth across it. It was maddening.

When they finally pulled apart for need of air, Cullen cupped his face in both hands, Dorian’s hand resting against his chest.

“I’m such an idiot,” Dorian whispered.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Cullen said with a small smile.

“All the wasted years I could have been kissed like that. Such a shame,” Dorian teased with a grin, followed by another short kiss.

“I’m so sorry Cul-“

“No. Don’t be sorry,” Cullen interrupted.

“Why not?”

“Because if it resulted in being kissed like that, I wouldn’t change a thing,” He said softly, a grin on his face as well.

As they leaned in for another deep kiss, a disgruntled looking Cassandra burst into the garden.

“Cass! What took you?” Cullen asked.

“Got stuck in a patch of brambles, but that isn’t the point. What’s all this? Where are the candles and the wine? The chocolate strawberries?” She demanded, gesturing at the quiet garden.

“The what?” Cullen asked, looking from her to Dorian.

Dorian just smiled sheepishly.

“It took ages to plan this, Dorian! What happened?” Cassandra exclaimed, clearly agitated.

“I was just getting started with the setup,” he began, motioning to a large basket that obviously held all the supplies she mentioned. “But then I decided that it wasn’t what was needed,” He turned to look up at Cullen and smiled.

“Wasn’t needed? Men! Useless things, the lot of you!” She cried, throwing her arms up as she moved to the basket.

“Well, I’m taking these. I’m sure someone will appreciate my efforts,” She said, making for the archway in a huff, basket in tow.

“Oh and congratulations, I suppose,” She said over her shoulder before disappearing into the night.

“You two planned this? I didn’t even know you knew each other very well,” Cullen said with a chuckle.

“Cassandra was the one with all the plans,” Dorian admitted, “She’s a real romantic.”

“I would not have guessed that,” Cullen said with a chuckle.

“Now, where were we?” Dorian asked, turning back to look at Cullen.

“Here, I’ll show you,” He said with a smile and leaned in closer.

*****

//Present day//

The fight outside had been over in a second. Cullen simply strode up and cracked the one man over the head. As that one fell his companion moved to attack but Cass swiftly put a stop to that, coming up behind the man and whacking him over the head as well. Moments later they had the two bound and gagged in the small guard building outside the gates.

Keys in hand they strode forward and unlocked the gate. They stepped through and swung it closed but kept it unlocked incase a quick escape was needed. The wooden doors behind the gates were unlocked. Sloppy, but once again it counted in their favor.

The hall beyond was strangely empty.

“Surely they can’t be that arrogant?” Cass asked as she moved cautiously down the corridor leading to the Pit.

“I seems unlikely.” Cullen agreed as he followed her.

The odd silence was suddenly broken by a scream. Cullen tensed as he recognized the voice.

“Dorian.” He breathed, his heart quickening in fear for his beloved.

He moved to run ahead but Cass held him back.

“Bursting in could get us all killed,” She whispered.

“He’s hurting!” Cullen said desperately, struggling in her grip.

“I did not say we couldn’t be swift but we must be smart about this if it’s to work, Cullen.”

He huffed in annoyance but nodded.

Cass took the lead once more, moving down the corridor at a fast pace. When they reached the stairway leading down to the pit chamber they took the steps two at a time. After what felt like ages they reached the bottom. A loud grunt followed by a bellowing laugh echoed up from the dim room ahead.

“So feisty!” The gruff voice called before laughing again. There was a distinct slapping noise, followed by another scream of pain.

“That’s why there were no guards upstairs. They’re down there with him, Cassandra,” Cullen said in a frantic whisper.

Cass turned to him and he saw the flash of panic in her own features, mirroring his own. They both knew what that meant. As if to confirm their fears, another cry echoed up from the hole.

All caution thrown to the wind they made for the long ladder leading into the foul pit in a rush. Cullen couldn’t hear anything but the rush of his blood in his ears. All he felt was rage and fear. A whole lot of fear.

****

Dorian didn’t really feel anything anymore. After he had gotten a hold of the leaders knife, foolishly left dangling on his belt and slashed the mans throat, everything had happened in a bit of a rush. A second man had charged in and punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Before he could properly register the pain of the blow another man grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him against the wall, his back towards them. He had tried to resist but the pain in his leg made it hard to kick back and the broken nose made him dizzy, his eyes blurred with tears. In seconds the men surrounded him, three holding him in place while one moved in behind him. They didn’t even care that two dead bodies lay on the ground nearby. He screamed as the worn robe was wrenched out of the way, exposing him to the men. In a burst of panic he kicked out, hitting the man behind him in the groin, earning a chuckle from the brutes.

“So feisty!” His tormentor called before moving up and punching Dorian so hard in the side that he heard ribs crack. As he gasped for breath that didn’t seem to come, the man laughed again before returning to his foul task. From there Dorian had blocked it all out, retreating into his mind as best he could, trying to numb the pain, the humiliation, the helplessness.

*****

Cullen stood momentarily stunned as he leapt off the last few rungs of the ladder. Cass dropped down seconds later. What he saw before him made his blood ignite. In a rage he dove forward, curved knife in hand. He heard a cry of anger from beside him as Cassandra charged in as well.

Seconds that felt like ages later the two of them stood panting amidst the slaughter. The thugs had been so preoccupied in their torment that they barely had time to react to the storm of rage that swept at them from behind.

Absently he noticed there were two more corpses on the ground. So Dorian had gotten a few of them at least. 

Good.

“Cullen!” Cassandra called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

She sat cradling a bloodied figure wrapped in a tattered robe.

“Dorian!” Cullen exclaimed, his voice cracking.

He dove in next to Cass, cupping Dorian’s head in his hands. Dorian looked up at him for a moment, taking a while to register his face. Cullen smiled down at him, stroking a thumb over his cheek. Then Dorian screamed.

Cullen wrenched his hand away in shock. Dorian tried to scramble away from him, clutching at Cassandra in fear.

“Dorian, it’s me.” Cullen said in a small voice, his heart twisting at the look in Dorian’s eyes.

“Stay away!” Dorian screamed, turning his face away and burying it in Cassandra’s chest. She looked up at Cullen in shock and confusion, just as taken aback as he was. They sat there in stunned silence, the only sound in the dank pit Dorian’s frantic whispering. 

“Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away…”

**Author's Note:**

> So there. Interesting enough to continue? I have about 5 chapters already written that just need a bit of editing, so it shouldn't take too long to update.
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment, preferably of a constructive nature. I can't learn/grow if faults aren't pointed out to me so if I fuck up please tell me. Nice comments make me happy and super motivated so if you want more please don't be shy.
> 
> Till next time!
> 
> P.S: I'm a bad person who tends to forget that I still have other fics waiting for updates as well. If you may perhaps sort of maybe read any of my other stuff and are still waiting for those updates I deeply apologise. I really have to learn to see stuff through to the end.


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